Spotlight on Female Presidential, Governorship Candidates for 2023 General Elections (1)

For the 2023 General Elections, about 25 females are contesting to be governors of their respective states on various political platforms, a move that has been lauded in many corners. The adulation stemmed from the underlying concerns over low participation of women in politics, which has continuously led to the clamour for 35 per cent affirmative action to ensure inclusion of more women in governance. Recently, Women Radio 91.7FM, with support from UN Women and Canadian government, engaged them to unveil their agenda for the poll. Chiemelie Ezeobi and Rebecca Ejifoma, who chronicled some of the women, write that their incursion into politics was a welcome development given the hitherto abysmal statistics of women in such positions 

In the forthcoming 2023 General Elections, about 416 persons will be contesting to be governors across 28 states of the federation. Out of that number, only 25 are females.

For many, this abysmal number calls for improved female participation in politics, especially with the fact that since democracy, Nigeria has not produced any female elected president, vice or even governor, rather few are relegated to the position of a deputy governor.

These and many more were reasons why Women Radio 91.7FM, with support from UN Women and Canadian government, recently engaged all 25 of them to unveil their agenda for the poll. Organised by the Executive Director, Women Radio, Mrs Toun Sonaiya, who is passionate about women, she is of the opinion that  if 25 women can govern 25 states in the country, “peace will come back to Nigeria”, while charging the media to project the female candidates too. 

For these women, the stakes are high as they march to the polls on February 25, 2023 for the Presidential/National Assembly election and on March 11, 2023 for the Governorship/State House of Assembly election. 

Lancaster- Okoro Nnennaya Ngwamma: People’s Redemption Party, Abia (Governorship)

A chartered accountant, Ngwamma was born on August 26, 1925. She attended Government School and Presbyterian Mission, School, Arochukwu. She also attended Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar; Leeds College (now Leeds Polytechnic), Yorkshire, England; Sheffield University, England;  and Regent Street Polytechnic, London.

According to Wikipedia, she rose from the ranks of an accountant to chief accountant and then  financial controller, Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation. She was a  member Justice Obi Okoye Commission of Enquiry, Eastern Nigeria Broadcasting Service; and member, Economic Survey Team, Eastern Nigeria Government Industries.

She is also the Principal Partner, Lancaster Okoro and Company, Chartered Accountants; member, Management Audit Team, Oriental Lines Limited, Government Trading Agency;  member, Imo State Public Accounts Committee; Chairman and Managing Director, Lanco Consultants Limited; Director, Golden Guinea Breweries Limited, Umuahia; fellow, Chartered Association of Certified Accountants; fellow, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria; fellow, British Institute of Management; Director, Science of Mind Organisation (Church of Religious Science), California; Patron, Nzuko Arochukwu; and member, Rotary Club.

Johnson-Ogbuneke Gladys Ikonnaya Ugozika: Social Democratic Party, Abia (Governorship)

A Nigerian medical doctor, politician & businesswoman, Ugozika ran as the Abia SDP governorship candidate in the 2023 Governorship Elections in Nigeria. The 58-years-old hails from Abia State and is a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). 

She was picked as the party governorship candidate in the state. A medical doctor by profession, she later joined politics in order to bring about the needed change in the political atmosphere of Nigeria. 

A graduate of the College of Medicine from University of Nigeria, Nsukka where she obtained her MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery), 

Dahiru Ahmed Aishatu: All Progressives Congress, Adamawa (Governorship)

Aishatu also known as Binani, was born on 11th August 1971. A Nigerian senator of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Adamawa Central senatorial district in the 9th Assembly,  she was formerly a member of the House of Representatives representing Yola North/Yola South/Girei federal constituency as a member of the People’s Democratic Party in the 7th Assembly (2011–2015).

She started her early school education at Kaduna and completed it at Gwadabawa Primary School, Jimeta Yola. Afterwards, she went to the UK for her university education where she obtained a Higher National Diploma in Electrical Engineering at the University of Southampton. She is currently the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

She was declared winner of the APC Adamawa governorship primary after polling 430 votes to defeat her closest contestant, Nuhu Ribadu, the pioneer Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who got 288 votes.

Udoh Emem Monday: Social Democratic Party, Akwa Ibom (Governorship)

Monday is an expert in integrated reservoir modelling, asset development strategy, petroleum, exploration and appraisal, technical Reservoir Simulation.

With excellent gas skills and proven track record of managing diverse projects, she has been recognised as a team player that thrives on challenges and is eager to work in a highly competitive and dynamic working environment to contribute to growth and advancement of the organisation.

With the skills she has applied effectively in a competitive corporate world and with her enhanced knowledge and expertise, she is bringing that to bear in her quest to occupy the number one position in Akwa Ibom State.

Dr. Roseline Ada Chenge: Action Democratic Party, Benue (Governorship)

Roseline Ada Chenge is a former Benue State gubernatorial aspirant on the platforms of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007, and All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015.

She has a string of firsts attached to her name. She is not only Northern Nigeria’s first female mechanical engineer but also the first female Managing Director, Benue State Water Board, and the first female Managing Director of the 12 River Basins in the country. 

In this election, she is clamouring to become her state’s first female governor. She is also a fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Engineers.  

Abubakar Fatima: African Democratic Congress, Borno (Governorship)

Abubakar Fatima went to high school in Iran then studied medicine in Hacettepe Medical University in Ankara, Turkey. She has working experience as an intern in both Turkey and Nigeria.  

She started working in psychiatry at a Trust grade doctor for a year. She is based at Cedar Ward, Harrogate district hospital which is an inpatient psychiatric ward in Harrogate for working age adults.

With her knowledge in the field of psychiatry, she has been keen on working in general adult psychiatry. 

 Aishatu Mahmud: National Rescue Movement, Kano (Governorship)

Aishatu Mahmud obtained her first degree in 1997 from the prestigious Bayero University, Kano, with B.sc honors in Economics and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from the same university in 2000. 

After her NYSC, she joined the private sector as an ‘Officer-Commercial Banking’ at United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) from September 1998 to May 2001 and then moved over to Karama Industrial Ventures where she served as Administrative Officer from June 2001 to May 2003.

Her experience, commitment to duty and vision then propelled her to the public sector as a civil servant; from 2003 to 2006 where she served as an Administrative Officer at the then Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs. 

She has also worked with the Rural Electrification Agency as Assistant Manager in 2007 before moving to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) later that year where she served as ‘Manager – Market Analysis and Compliance’ from June 2007 to May 2010, ‘Principal Manager – Tariff & Rates’ from July 2013 to May 2018, and ‘Assistant General Manager – Head, Tariff & Rates’ from May 2018 till November 2020.

According to her profile, she rose through the ranks in service and gained experience and expertise in both public and the private sector, with a great array of personal development training cutting across Oil & Gas, Electricity Regulation and Strategy, International Financing Framework and Management, Process Re-engineering, Financial Analysis and Utility Infrastructure Management among others.

Abdulahi-Iya Khadijah: All Progressives Grand Alliance, Niger  (Governorship)

An award winning innovator an ideation specialist, a serial social entrepreneur, lawyer, author, publisher, and mentor, Khadija founded a group of social enterprises to foster the SDG goals of sustainable communities. 

A social change actor who is passionate about her community, she is now charting a new frontier as the curator of Tatsuniyya Network, a platform that is documenting African culture and Values through animated storytelling; African original folklores, history and African contemporary life towards a more effective futuristic Africa. 

She believes that the African child must have a strong sense of self when s/he knows her story and heritage before figuring where s/he’s headed.

Khadijah is a fellow and certified Gender based Violence specialist, a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants (FIMC) a Certified Management Consultant (CMC). 

With an LLB from the University of Abuja and Masters in Law & Diplomacy from the University of Jos, continuous learning, focus & determination are her strategy for personal growth and development. 

Khadijah’s worries led to varied journeys where she founded a variety of social enterprises & businesses. She is the president of the Women Community in Africa. Notably, the CEO of S. I. Magazine Ltd and the founder/Executive Director of Beyond Mentors Inc. 

The executive Director of Peaches Confections Ltd and Presently curating Tatsuniyya Tea and Tatsuniyya Network; twin start ups -recreating the Nigerian folktales, history and contemporary African stories into animations. 

Evangelist Dr. Ebiti Ndok-Jegede: (Presidential)

Evangelist Dr. Ebiti Ndok-Jegede (born Ebiti Onoyom Ndok) is a Nigerian politician who ran for presidency in the 2011 presidential election under the platform of the United National Party for Development, a party she once served as National Chairman. 

Born in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State, South-Western Nigeria, Ndok-Jegede is a native of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. She attended St Anne’s School Ibadan for secondary school education.

She started her career as a practicing nurse at the University College Hospital, Ibadan before she proceeded to the United Kingdom, where she obtained a degree in Management, Law, and Diplomatic Studies and also did Social Welfare training. 

In 2011, she was the only woman who ran for president of Nigeria under the platform of the United National Party for Development, receiving 98,262 votes. She hopes to repeat this feat in this election.